Could the recent spat between the Haliburtons and Giannis Antetokounmpo stir up more than just sideline drama? Dwight Howard warned as much, and not without reason. When someone like Giannis is involved, the ripple effects don’t just stay courtside. They follow him globally. And according to Howard, it threatens to become a full-blown global PR crisis.

Let’s take it back for a moment. Game 5 between the Pacers and the Bucks had all the playoff intensity fans could ask for. Tyrese Haliburton iced the game with a dramatic overtime layup, effectively eliminating Milwaukee. Yet the post-buzzer chaos sparked even more discussion. As emotions spilled over, Tyrese’s father, John Haliburton, was seen waving a towel in Giannis’ direction. Antetokounmpo snapped in response and quickly found himself in a heated exchange with both Tyrese and his dad.

The incident didn’t sit well with Dwight Howard. His co-host suggested John’s towel-waving provoked Antetokounmpo. However, D12 was not having it. “Even if you do gotta say something to piss it off, it’s a time and a place for that, man. And he is a mega NBA star… Global NBA star. So it’s like you in somebody dad face…” Howard said. For him, it’s not just about emotions flaring—it’s about protecting the image of someone who represents the NBA worldwide.

Mid-debate, Dwight Howard wondered aloud if Milwaukee’s meltdown might’ve been prevented under Adrian Griffin, rather than in Doc Rivers’ second year. The way he put it almost felt like a subtle dig at Rivers—something even his co-host picked up on. But Howard quickly pushed back. “I did not say that… You finished my statement. That’s not what I said… I’m not blaming doc…” he clarified on the Above the Rim podcast.

Despite Howard almost pointing fingers at Giannis himself, John Haliburton eventually stepped forward and took responsibility. “I sincerely apologize to Giannis, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Pacers organization for my actions following tonight’s game,” John wrote. “This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son and I will not make that mistake again.” However, that didn’t stop Giannis’ family, too, from getting involved in the whole thing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother comes to his support

If you were watching that postgame scene unfold, you probably felt the same confusion Giannis Antetokounmpo did. One moment, he was processing a tough loss, and the next, a heated exchange was erupting right there on the court.

When John Haliburton charged onto the court following the Pacers’ 119–118 OT win, security guards and team officials scrambled to separate him from a visibly agitated Giannis Antetokounmpo. As cameras panned across the chaos, Giannis’s older brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, wasted no time defending him, lambasting Haliburton Sr. on his Thanalysis podcast for prioritizing provocation over parental pride

“You run on to the court, and instead of going to your son, you go to Giannis and start cussin’ and disrespecting,” he said. “So Giannis losing is more important than your son’s game winner?” Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton publicly disowned his father’s behavior twice over: in the immediate postgame press conference, he admitted “my pops wasn’t in the right” and promised to curb such theatrics moving forward. Then on The Pat McAfee Show, he reiterated, “There’s no excuse and no place for that—I apologized to Giannis, and my dad did too”.

So, it seems most of the NBA community is in Giannis’ support, except for Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard.